Apparatus for loosening the scalp



Deg. 21, 1937. l A EL APPARATUS FOR LOOSENING THE S CALP 2 Sheets-Sheetl I Filed Dec. 7, 1954 L/OSEF WADEL Aifiofr'ne ys.

Dec. 21,1937. J. \NADEEL y fi I APPARATUS FOR LOOSENING THE SCALP ii nverdm? i .1."

'6 JOSEF WZO/FL Alon 622/6.

Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December7, 1934, Serial No. 756,433

In Germany December 23, 1933 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of the scalp, particularly withrespect to the hair, and the main object thereof is to providemechanical means forloosening the scalp by extenuating the layerscovering the lateral portions of the cranium to permit the flow of bloodthrough the tissues previously impeded due to a tight scalp.

As is well known, premature loss of hair is due to the fact that thescalp containing the roots of the hair becomes too tightly stretched,owing to the wearing of hats or to a more rapid growth of the skull, sothat the conditions necessary for the life of the hair do not exist.This disadvantageous state of affairs can only be remedied by againloosening the too tightly stretched scalp. A loosening of the scalp can,however, only be effected by taking skin at another place and stretchingit, so that the loosening of the scalp is thereby effected.

In accordance with the invention, the loosen ing of the scalp iseffected by an apparatus which intermittently raises the lateral skin ofthe scalp I in one direction only, namely upwardly, and then allows itto return passively. This massaging action which is carried out in onedirection only is effected by means of a gripping device which is to beplaced around the head at the height of the forehead and can be movedintermittently upwards by means of a push or pull device which isactuated mechanically or by hand in such a manner that the grippingdevice lifts the part of the scalp which is gripped by it, upwards, asoften as the tension or compression device is actuated and therebyloosens the upper part of the scalp, the lateral parts of the scalpbeing simultaneously stretched. The gripping device together with thepart of the scalp which is held by it after being jerked upwards at oncereturns into its normal position owing to the elasticity of the skin orowing to an additional spring device which is provided. The upwardmovement of the gripping device can be effected by a pull device actingfrom above or by a push device acting from below. The movement can beeffected either by hand or mechanically, the mechanical operation beingpreferred when it is desired to leave the hands free. In order to obtaina particularly intensive lifting of the lateral parts of the scalp, padsor a lining which grip the scalp firmly and move it with them can befitted inshowing respectively the operation by means of a pull devicefrom above and a push device from below are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates in elevation andpartly in section an apparatus provided with a pull device 5 acting fromabove;

Figure 2 shows the same apparatus also in elevation when in use;

Figure 3 shows the same apparatus also but with a push device workedfrom below while in 10 use;

Figure 4 is a plan of the device shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on the line A--B of Figure 4. p 5

In the constructional example illustrated in 1 Figures 1 and 2, theapparatus comprises a band a to be placed around the head the height ofthe forehead. This band a may be made of elastic or non-elasticmaterial, but if it is made of nonelastic material it must be adjustableso that it can be made to fit the head. The band a is provided with twotensioning bands b which are carried over the head and of which theirother ends are attached to levers d. The tensioning bands I) passthrough clasps or guides c to connect the lateral portions of the band awith the free extremities of the levers d in the manner of cooperativelyadjustable straps. The clasps c are firmly connected with the levers d.The levers d are linked to a hand-plate e and connected together bymeans of a tensioning spring I. The ends or of the levers d to which thetensioning bands 17 are attached are bent upwardly and outwardly, sothat the ends of the tensioning bands are raised away from the head padsh, or a lining or the like, are arranged on the inside of the band a.

The method of using the apparatus is as follows:

As shown in Figure 2, the band a is placed around the head at the heightof the forehead. If now the plate e is depressed by the hands, thelevers d move downwards and, since they cannot move sideways, owing tothe fact that they are connected with the tensioning bands I) by theguides or clasps 0, they draw each of the tensioning bands b to the sideopposite to that at which it is attached to the band a. The band a isthereby lifted upwards and jerks upwards the part of the skin which isgripped by it, so that these parts of the skin are stretched and thescalp is loosened. The movement of the band a is preferably limited bymeans of a chin strap 2' of non-elastic or slightly elastic materialwhich is attached to the band and placed round the chin in order toprevent the band from slipping right off the head. When the hand-plateis again released the band a moves back again into its normal positionowing to the elasticity of the skin, and the levers are again drawntogether by tensioning bands and the hand-plate is again raised. Inorder to assist the return movement a tensioning spring may be arrangedbetween the levers.

In the form of construction illustrated, two tensioning bands and leversare shown. The apparatus can obviously also be used in such a mannerthat the tensioning bands attached to the band a are at the forehead andat the back of the head or in any other position. Also, instead of twolevers and tensioning bands three, four or more may be arranged, inwhich case an even number is preferably employed in order that the bandsmay be guided in pairs.

The form of construction illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 shows a simpleform of device worked from below. The apparatus consists of a band 71.which is to be placed around the head at the height of the forehead andcan be adjusted circumferentially by means of a clasp m. Two leafsprings o are inserted in the band 11. which, when the apparatus isused, are in contact with the sides of the head and ensure that the bandfits tightly around the whole of the head. The movement of the band 11.is effected by means of handles p, which are attached by means of rods rto the springs o and hang downwardly from the band n. In the exampleillustrated, the rods 1 with the handles p are arranged so that they canbe attached to and removed from the springs o. This interchangeabilityis effected by means of sleeves 3 arranged on the springs 0 into whichthe rods 1" can be screwed by means of their screw threaded portions t.Since the handles can be removed the device can be easily packed up whenit is not in use.

In use the band 12, after it has beenadjustedto the proper size to fitthe head, is placed around the head. Then, with the aid of the handles12, the band is jerked slightly upwards and thus lifts upwardly with itthe part of the scalp which it grips, so that the scalp-lying above itis loosened. Owing to the elasticity of the skin, the band n returns byitself to its normal position as soon as the pressure on the handles 32ceases.

If the apparatus is used in such a manner that the message is frequentlyeffected for some time by alternately pressing down or pushing up thehand plate or the handles and then releasing them, a permanentstretching of the lateral parts of the head or scalp 'is soon efiectedand the scalp is thereby loosened.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:-

1. Apparatus for promoting the growth of hair comprising an elasticcranial band adapted to be whereby said elastic band may be reciprocatedin an upward direction and whereby the layers covering the peripheralportions of the cranium are stretched to loosen the scalp and to permitthe flow of blood through the tissues.

2. Apparatus for promoting the growth of hair, comprising an elasticcranial band adapted to be adjusted about the head at the forehead ofthe wearer, a pair of levers hingedly connected at one end curvedoutwardly and upwardly at the other end, and adapted to straddle theskull of the wearer, cooperatively adjustable tensioning bands adaptedto pass over the head of the wearer connecting said cranial band at thelateral portion of the head with said out and upwardly bent ends of saidlevers, whereby said tensioning bands are.

raised from the head of the wearer When the said levers are separated,and a hand plate connected with the hinged end of said levers foractuating the same whereby said cranial band may be reciprocated in anupward direction and whereby the layers covering the peripheral portionsof the head are stretched to loosen the scalp and to permit the flow ofblood through the tissues.

J QSEF WADEL.

